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- What you'll need
- Track flights on iPhone or iPad
- Track flights on Mac
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Did you know you can track flights directly from Messages on iPhone, iPad, or Mac? It's a neat feature that lets you know when a contact is in the air or when they are due to land.
This is one of the best hidden features in iOS 17 and it's super simple to use, so it's surprising that more people don't know it exists.
Built directly into the Messages app, you get a live flight tracker that sends you live locations of flights, along with details about take-off and landing times. If there's a delay, you can check what's going on and you can even check your departure gate.
With expensive apps like Flighty out there, this first-party option is fantastic for any frequent flier who doesn't want to pay extra to be in control of their travel.
All you need to get started is an airline name and a flight number. From there, you can look up any flights taking off within 24 hours. Note, you can't look up planned flight paths for future days but it's great for flights in the coming hours. It works with any of the best iPhones or iPads as well as your Mac. Here's how to track flights using Messages on an Apple device.
What you'll need
To track flights on Messages you'll need an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Here are the best models currently available:
iPhone 15 Pro $999 $0.01 at Amazon
Grab the best iPhone available right now for only $0.01 at Amazon with a Boost Infinite plan that gets you unlimited data and calls starting at $60/mo.
iPad Air 6 13-inch | $799 $754 at Amazon
With an M2 chip and a 13-inch screen option, the new iPad Air 6 is one of the best iPads available right now. Normally $799, you can pick up the 13-inch model for nearly $50 off at the moment — don't miss out.
13-inch M3 MacBook Air, 256GB | $1,099 $999 at Amazon
The 13-inch M3 MacBook Air is the best Mac for most people and you can currently save $100 at Amazon right now. If you're looking to get work done, this powerhouse is the perfect mix of portability and power.
Track flights on iPhone or iPad
- Open the Messages app. Find the conversation where a user has sent you flight information. They'll need to type the Airline Name and Flight Number in succession. In most cases, this also works with the airline abbreviation and number
- Tap the Airline Name/Abbreviation and Flight Number in Messages
- Choose Preview Flight
That's it. You can now see all of the key details about the flight.
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Track flights on Mac
- Open the Messages app. Find the conversation where a user has sent you flight information. They'll need to type the Airline Name and Flight Number in succession. In most cases, this also works with the airline abbreviation and number
- Tap the Airline Name/Abbreviation and Flight Number in Messages to bring up the flight information
We love this hidden Messages trick and often use it when flying abroad for a vacation or for work. It's so easy to do and the kind of thing that once you learn about you'll wonder how you got by without it.
With WWDC 2024 and new software like iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 on the horizon, we can't wait to see what else Apple has up its sleeve and the new tricks we'll be able to do come September when the iPhone 16 is released.
John-Anthony Disotto
How To Editor
John-Anthony Disotto is the How To Editor of iMore, ensuring you can get the most from your Apple products and helping fix things when your technology isn’t behaving itself.Living in Scotland, where he worked for Apple as a technician focused on iOS and iPhone repairs at the Genius Bar, John-Anthony has used the Apple ecosystem for over a decade and prides himself in his ability to complete his Apple Watch activity rings.John-Anthony has previously worked in editorial for collectable TCG websites and graduated from The University of Strathclyde where he won the Scottish Student Journalism Award for Website of the Year as Editor-in-Chief of his university paper. He is also an avid film geek, having previously written film reviews and received the Edinburgh International Film Festival Student Critics award in 2019.John-Anthony also loves to tinker with other non-Apple technology and enjoys playing around with game emulation and Linux on his Steam Deck.
In his spare time, John-Anthony can be found watching any sport under the sun from football to darts, taking the term “Lego house” far too literally as he runs out of space to display any more plastic bricks, or chilling on the couch with his French Bulldog, Kermit.
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